When I was in college, a friend of mine told me about this amazing cabbage soup diet. You made a large pot of cabbage soup at the beginning of the week and you could eat as much of it as you wanted all week long. It sounded too good to be true, but I gave it a whirl anyway. By the end of the week I was totally sick of cabbage soup, but I couldn't deny that the low-calorie dish did fill me up and keep me from overeating! The recipe below is a spicier version of that soup.

Although I can't recommend eating this soup for breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week, it is a flavorful, delicious soup that makes a wonderful meal. It's completely vegetarian while also being filling and satisfying. It's comforting enough for cold winter days, and it's also a perfect choice when you're looking for a quick and easy detox meal. It's full of vegetables, so you'll feel great after you eat it.

Vegetarian spicy cabbage soup
Servings: 6
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes

Ingredients2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 carrot, peeled and diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 green or red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 small head green cabbage, shredded
1/2 cup spicy salsa
4 cups vegetable broth

Directions
In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.

Add the onion, carrot, celery, bell pepper, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt and black pepper.

Cook until the vegetables are softened, about 10 minutes.

Add the cabbage, salsa and vegetable broth.

Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes, until the cabbage is softened.

Season to taste.

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